Embedded Systems, Industrial Engineering and Management, Innovation and Product Realisation
Mälardalen University (MDU) is a university college (högskola) located in Västerås and Eskilstuna, Sweden. It has a strong focus on applied research and education in close collaboration with the surrounding society, particularly with the industrial sector.
Domains taught:
AI and Machine Learning, Automation, Data Analytics, Electrical and Electronics, Engineering, Industrial Design, Manufacturing, Mechanical Engineering, Process Control, Robotics, Software Engineering
Diplomas*:
Bachelor, Doctor, Master
Status:
Public
Partnerships:
MDU has a long tradition of collaboration with companies such as ABB, Volvo, and Alstom. This collaboration is an integral part of both education and research. The university is a member of the European Network for Co-operative and Work-Integrated Higher Education (ENETWUD).
Research:
Research at MDU is concentrated in six main areas, including embedded systems, industrial engineering and management, and innovation and product realisation. The university is known for its co-production in research, which means that research is conducted in close collaboration with external partners.
Famous Alumnis:
N/A
International recognition**:
Number of staff***:
1000
Current students***:
16000
Foreign students***:
10%
Cumulative former students***:
30000
Pros
A university with a strong focus on applied research and education in close collaboration with industry. High employability rate for graduates.
Cons
The university is not a full research university and has limited rights to award doctoral degrees. The two-campus structure can be a disadvantage for some students.
Best For
Students who are looking for an applied education with a strong connection to industry and good job prospects after graduation.
University West takes a similar route through process control, robotics and automation, and it has almost the same size, at about 15,000 students, and is also a public institution.
Among national alternatives, Blekinge Institute of Technology stands out for its focus on industrial design, mechanical engineering and data analytics, and it is also a public institution, and runs the same bachelor's, master's and doctoral programmes.
Anyone who wants a second school in the same country with a similar spread of industrial design, process control and robotics can consider Mid Sweden University, and it runs the same bachelor's, master's and doctoral programmes, and covers telecommunications and ecology and sustainability as well.
University of Gävle shares the core fields of this institution, namely industrial design, process control and manufacturing; it runs the same bachelor's, master's and doctoral programmes, and covers logistics and civil engineering as well.
Halmstad University follows much the same lines as this institution, with industrial design, robotics and mechanical engineering as common ground, and it is slightly smaller, at about 11,000 students against roughly 16,000 here, and is also a public institution.
Most Similar Schools Abroad
In Norway, University of Agder teaches much the same core subjects, robotics, automation and mechanical engineering, and it is slightly smaller, at about 13,000 students against roughly 16,000 here, and is also a public institution.
On content, Università degli Studi di Bergamo in Italy and this university are close, as both teach industrial design, process control and robotics; it teaches at the same levels, namely bachelor's, master's and doctoral, and covers civil engineering and structural engineering as well.
Abroad, Western Norway University of Applied Sciences (Norway) covers automation, manufacturing and mechanical engineering in a comparable way, and it covers civil engineering as well, and has almost the same size, at about 17,000 students.
Students considering a move abroad can look at Metropolia University of Applied Sciences in Finland, where industrial design, automation and electrical and electronics also form the core, and it covers civil engineering and project management as well, and has almost the same size, at about 16,500 students.
In Italy, Università degli Studi di Brescia teaches much the same core subjects, industrial design, process control and robotics, and it teaches at the same levels, namely bachelor's, master's and doctoral, and covers civil engineering and structural engineering as well.
*our own picks (our criteria: a mix between domains, diploma delivered, reputation and size), but obviously too many criteria for an apple-to-apple ranking.
Agile Methodology, Innovation, Lean Manufacturing, Product Development, Research and Development, User-Centered Design
*: without any judgment of the quality, readers are strongly encouraged to check the official status of the exact diploma envisioned as many universities have a mix of recognized diplomas, not recognized, “co-delivered,” “equivalent to”, “some pathways” (…), can change over time, and can be named differently from one country to another.
**: international reputation: is based on some criteria that do not mean much in some domains or specialties (number of researchers, of scientific publications, on budget ….). Our approximate 1-4 scale:
known locally
known locally and internationally
is listed in some of the world university’s classifications
is listed among the 20 firsts in some of world university’s classifications
***: estimated numbers, based on online sources and/or feedbacks. The numbers can vary greatly depending on school organisation (ex.: school is part of a group, it employs internal staff or external consultants or has public staff without employing them …). Refer to all the links provided to have accurate and updated numbers.
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